How do I begin to describe this place? It’s an adult playground, full of music, art, killer burritos, parks, sports, rich people, poor people, some of the best cycling I’ve ever seen, depravity, debauchery, drugs… lots of drugs. It’s beautiful, ugly, clean, dirty, an all inclusive environment with all of everything. Or so I heard... After moving to California in 2005, this was the first place on my list to visit. Visiting this city is a very odd thing in and of itself. Visiting any city is for that matter. You tend to only see the surface and as is with all cites, you don’t figure that out until you live there. It was only 7 years later, that I found myself with an opportunity to move to this city of wonderland; that I began to truly understand how big of a difference there really is.

 

No place that I have ever lived has changed as much as San Francisco, and in such a short time at that. The one particular change, ever present today, is the demographic of the people living and working here. It’s a topic widely discussed, argued, and fretted upon. “Death to the techies!” can be read on posters, flyers, tags, overheard anywhere. It’s no secret that the latest tech boom is bringing these industries and its workforce in droves to this mecca of the country. As a newer resident of this city, at a whole three years, I’m not what I would consider a “local”. I’ve only recently started calling this place my home. Many of the “locals”, those who have been here for maybe 10 years, and lay claim to this place as their own, would say I don’t really have a valid opinion.  Pretentious is a good word to describe most of these “locals", those in the their early 30’s who were here before it was cool to be. I have to stop and laugh at that last statement because of how ridiculous it is. I wish that was not the case, but, sadly it is. So, there we have it. The locals vs. the transplants, a battle for territory and ownership of the 7 x 7.

 

I understand progression and that places need to change from time to time. Sometimes it’s for the better, and sometimes… well, sometimes you have what I have witnessed happen to this city over the last three years. The techies have moved in, and for any foreseeable time, I don’t see them going anywhere. I should note; that when I say “techies”, I don’t mean that in a negative, or derogative manner. I do support technological advancement, and have a lot of really good friends in the tech industry that are really amazing people. Lets just say, that its the unfair, blanket moniker that is easiest for me to use.  Let’s not get sensitive people, 'ain’t no one got time for that in the city'.

 

I digress.

 

The culture that has been brought into the city is not one of industry and positive growth (save for the pocket books of those in said industry). It is a disconnected culture that, as wide as technology is, is very narrow, one time use, and “I need it now”. Everyone has a smart phone that they are perpetually glued to. I realize this is an issue in this day and age already, but, in the tech industry, it's even worse. Every day there are thousands of APPS that are designed, tested, and sold out of this city. All adding to the disconnection of an entire generation. You don’t have to interact with people face to face anymore. People skills are practically non existent. I understand it. You go to school for 8 years to learn one skill, to develop an APP that you’ve been dreaming of. Then you are off to the world, ill equipped to function as a human being. You know that five bucks you borrowed from your friend? You don’t need to meet them for lunch to pay them back. There’s an app for that, just send them the five bucks at the touch of a button, and you’ve avoided an entire social interaction. I work in a sales industry, whereby verbal communication pays my bills. I’ve lost track of the times I’ve tried to hold a tangible conversation with someone, only to get nowhere because the social awkwardness and lack of basic communication skills prevented it. Send them an email and they’ll tell you their life story. The sad part of all of this, is when I moved here, these interactions happened occasionally. Now, three years down the road, I don’t go 2/3 hrs of a work shift without meeting someone from the tech industry. I’m rarely surprised by any of the interactions.

 

Financially, this has grown into a very interesting situation for this city. Tech boom = money. Lots of money. So, the city and those in positions to benefit, are all for it. But, what is really happening? Where is this money really going? Generally, industry means more money for the city, more money for businesses, and everyone benefits from a more well maintained city. Sadly, the techie culture only brings money to a few, very finite areas. First and foremost, rent. If you make 6 figures a year, yeah, you can afford $3,500 a month for a studio. So lets raise the rent, because the techies will pay. Needless to say, its gotten out of hand. I’ve lost count of the number of my friends that have been ‘rented’ out of the city. Land lords kick tenants out, triple the rent, and bring a techie in who will pay the money. Or, they get a notice that the rent is going up, and have no choice but to move elsewhere. Ok, so property owners are having a field day. But, what else is benefiting? Sure, restaurants and bars do well. Lord knows these people drink and do just as much blow as the rest of the dirtbags in this city. So, this is money these bars would’ve been making anyways, while making less tips. Because, well, nobody ever taught the techies in college how to tip. Small business certainly doesn’t see any of the money, let alone any bigger retail establishments. With the ‘I need it now, can’t interact’ culture, they just order everything online and have it delivered.

 

So, the rent is too damn high. The culture is going sterile, people can’t interact without a handheld square light box illuminating their face. Nobody really makes money here anymore, unless you went to college for 8 years and don’t know what the opposite sex looks like naked. Riding your bike is treacherous because people from Nebraska think an SUV double parked on Valencia Street is perfectly acceptable at 7pm on a Saturday night. Pops is gone. The attic is gone. You can’t smoke in the phone booth anymore. The Castro is getting pushed out of the Castro, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera… So why does anyone care to even attempt to live here anymore? Because its San Fran-fucking-cisco. And despite all of this, its a pretty awesome place to live. I for one will press on, and hope to hang around long enough to see this awful bubble burst.